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The Sun enters Gemini II The Hermaphrodite (as named by Austin Coppock in 36 Faces) on Sunday, 31 May 2026 at 6:31 am EDT. T. Susan Chang called this decan, associated with the 9 of Swords, Angels and Demons, in her own book about the relationship of the Tarot pip cards to the decans, 36 Secrets. The Sun will pass through this decan for ten days, ten hours, and forty-three minutes, entering Gemini III The Executioner’s Sword, on 10 June 2026 at 5:14 pm EDT.

At least some parts of the Mediterranean world associated these ten days with the Phrygian Earth-mother goddess Cybele, represented in her temple by a black stone that was probably a nickel-iron meteorite of some substantial size — large enough to be marveled at, small enough for a single strong man to carry while swimming from a sailing ship to the shore. According to the anecdote from Livy’s History of Rome, in the days of the Second Punic War the Romans arranged a suitable alliance with the kingdom of Phrygia, on the condition that Jupiter Capitolinus, the principal civic god of Rome, be married to Cybele. The Phrygians sent a secret ship dispatching the black stone to Rome through seas still patrolled by the Carthaginian navy. When it arrived, the Senate lined up all the available young men from the best families of Rome, just in the skins their mothers gave them, and selected a strong and youthful Scipio to swim the stone ashore. Livy’s implication is that Scipio was selected in part for his muscularity… and in part for swinging the biggest dick available in the city. The eunuch priesthood of Cybele, the galli, apparently thought so too, and let him carry the stone from heaven ashore — where the matrons of the first families of Rome carried it themselves on a palanquin from the beach in Ostia to the porch of the temple of Jupiter, a full day’s walk of nearly 20 miles. There the stone was blessed and named in Latin, “Magna Mater,” the Great Mother.

Within a generation, Cybele was so popular that the Roman Senate had to prohibit Roman citizens from becoming galli themselves, though — imagine a goddess whose nature and worship was so popular that mothers and fathers strongly considered castrating their sons before the age of five, snuffing out their family’s potential future. In an age when more than half of children died before the age of five, and Latin names that mean “fifth” and “sixth” and even “seventh” became as common as the names John or Mohammad or Sarah or Fatima are today… we can but wonder with astonishment at what mix of horror and wonder she must have inspired to command such devotion.

But. At the same time that we express wonder at this, we can also note that Rome was a society much like our own in the last twenty years of the third century BCE. Rome was becoming a major metropolitan area, about the size of some modern third- and fourth-tier cities like Springfield, Massachusetts or Dijon, France — the city itself housed about 150,000 people, while the widening territory of the Republic and its closest allies was about 5 million throughout Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica — similar to some modern states or provinces like Minnesota or Tuscany or Wales. Polities of this size require bureaucracies, systematized trade, standard weights and measures and mediums of exchange, banking, judiciaries and police, and similarly complex governmental and economic systems. Cybele’s worship — the honoring of the Great Mother — arises in the Roman Republic at exactly the time that a significant portion of the population is losing touch with Nature and with the wild, at the time that more of the population is becoming urbanized and landless. Cybele became a Spiritual Power™ in the Roman world precisely because she stood as a form of foreign connection to forces that were uniquely divergent to the Roman Way — allied with Rome, and yet not of it. High class Roman families found it necessary to participate in the political roles that Cybele’s spirituality had access too — and they had to be barred from it by law before they gave up.

Even so, we see this pattern continue into the Christian Era — high-class Roman families designating surviving children to the Church, particularly the smart younger sons… in the hopes that they’ll rise high enough in the hierarchy to become abbots, bishops, cardinals, perhaps even Popes. The extremism of Cybele’s worship, and its priesthood of castrati, should act as a reminder to us that the creation of power centers, no matter how extreme, is always accompanied by power-seekers willing to take extreme steps to achieve access. Yet the power — spiritual or material, divine or political — remains the same, regardless of what techniques or extreme acts are required to achieve it. Accessing it requires acknowledging that it’s real, and worth having.

The administrator of this decan is Mars under Mercury, but Mars’ current aversion in Taurus puts Mercury in the driver’s seat for the moment, whispering must I do everything myself? Indeed, the herald planet must — communication, intellect, delegation, and negotiation must do the work of self-promotion and personal expression, at a time when ambition, bravery, and personal goal-setting cannot. Get yourself some artificial courage — not in the form of alcohol, caffeine or other chemical instigators — but personal affirmations and intellectual reminders, “if I do this now I don’t have to do it later.” Talk yourself up and be specific about your personal value and the treats or rewards you’ll give yourself when these labors are complete.

Take power, too, just acknowledge what it will cost you to hold it.

Dates to Watch

• June 1 — Mercury enters Cancer — the herald planet drops from a place of rulership to a peregrine role, like a mayor of some midwestern US town seeking retirement and anonymity in Florida. Key communications have to happen quickly, but don’t expect others to seek you out or report on their activities naturally — you’re going to have to ask for reports, and follow up frequently, over the next several weeks.
• June 2-3 — Sun sextile Saturn — Personal discipline and a sense of needing to match one’s interior order to external environment may send you on a cleaning and organizing rampage where practical issues are best faced and accomplished; try not to give the day over to imagination or impractical wool-gathering…
• June 3 — Mercury square Neptune — … but recognize that the second day of that pair is idealizing and imaginative, and a day when your communications are likely to go astray or be misinterpreted. Focus on delivering factual, real-world information and be cautious about expressing hopes and dreams unless with deep specificity and precisely worded boundaries.
• June 5 — Moon square Mars, sextile Saturn — unnecessary argument, frivolous conflict, and meaningless debates conducted by those with no power to amend, reform or change circumstances, may cause you to want to be alone. Try not to give in to depression or loneliness; instead, use solitude to achieve a state of calm resolve to achieve certain aims.
• June 9 — Mercury square Saturn, Moon conjunct Neptune — the aims acknowledged four days ago, and planned with concrete steps toward results, can now be put into action. You may find that you’re sympathetic to the plight of those around you, but if you’re getting ready to argue principles and process with those who would simply rush ahead, be prepared to steel yourself against accepting arguments of convenience rather than conviction.
• June 9 — Venus conjunct Jupiter — Days of Cedar and Rose begin — Quite possibly THE.MOST.AGREEABLE & FAVORABLE TRANSIT in the heavens — it brings financial luck, romantic accord, leaderly opportunity and gracious delight in all that transpires. Do your part not simply to expect these blessings to rain down upon you, but to transmit those blessings and delights to others with gratitude.
• June 11 — Neptune sextile Pluto — It’s not uncommon for this transit to bring about dismay or frustration as larger forces wreck havoc on institutions, programs, services, relationships and beliefs that you held up fondly or idealistically as important or valuable. You shouldn’t expect this to happen in an earth-shattering or mind-bending way, though — the relationship between the Fire of Aries and the Air of Aquarius is intellectual and energetic, not emotional or practical. You’re simply aware that this thing doesn’t work for me any more — I’m no longer passionately moved by it. Talking to others about this change in your psychological make-up may cause others to re-evaluate their positions, as well, so discuss with a professional or a dispassionate counterparty before engaging with minors or the weak-willed.

House Delineations

The First House of self and self-presentation is Gemini, ruled by present Mercury and also hosting the Sun, Uranus and the Lunar Perigee. The Air triplicity rulers are inconjunct (Jupiter), sextile (Saturn) and present (Mercury). Be an agent of change, but act within the rules even if you’re staging a coup or a revolution. Protect the voices of minority opinions, even if they’re not your own.

The Second House of money and possessions is Cancer, ruled by the inconjunct Moon and hosting Jupiter and Venus inching toward their conjunction on June 9. The Water triplicity rulers are present (Venus), sextile (Mars) and inconjunct (Moon). Favorable financial situations work out in your favor, but remember to show generosity to those who make your circumstances possible.

The Third House of extended family and intimate friends is Leo, ruled by the sextile Sun. The Fire triplicity rulers are inconjunct (Jupiter), trine (Saturn) and sextile (Sun). Show your friends that you love them in performative ways that allow them to see and understand the ways in which your neighborhood is both a jungle and a safety net: simultaneously a risky place to be and a perfect fortress.

The Fourth House of home, household, and parents is Virgo, ruled by squaring Mercury and hosting the South Node. The Earth triplicity rulers are sextile (Venus), trine (Mars), and square (Moon). Great difficulties arise in private at home, and it’s possible to feel contentment and suffering at the same time from the same activities there. Use your resources to pamper yourself, but be aware of both your partner’s needs and your own long-term objectives; don’t be lazy to fulfill them.

The Fifth House of pleasures and pastimes is Libra, ruled by squaring Venus. The Air triplicity rulers are trine (Mercury), square (Jupiter) or opposed (Saturn). Balance occasions for fun with the difficulties of helping friends through hard times. Hold out a vision of expanded resources for your allies, and make time to do enjoyable things with a spouse or significant other. Communicate your own needs for rest and relaxation clearly. Spend some money on your kids’ desires rather than just their wants — but help them make judicious choices, too.

The Sixth House of daily routines, pets, and injuries is Scorpio, ruled by opposing Mars. Daily routines may make you hot under the collar, but that’s because you’re not thinking out far enough on a long-term calendar. What are your plans for six months from now? A year? What could be done today to make that longer-term plan easier?

The Seventh House of spouse, peer partners, and rivals is Sagittarius, ruled by inconjunct Jupiter, and hosting the Moon, the Lot of Fortune, and the Lunar Apogee. The Fire triplicity rulers are opposed (Sun), inconjunct (Jupiter) and trine (Saturn). You may have to help your spouse or significant other break free of certain mental blinders, and help them both relax and get their work complete. Don’t expect this to be a once-and-done effort; plan to bang the drum quite a bit, and invite them to go for what they want to have, repeatedly. It still won’t be easy, but let them know they have your support.

The Eighth House of obligation, duty and legacy is Capricorn, ruled by squaring Saturn. The Earth triplicity rulers are opposed (Venus), inconjunct (Moon) and trine (Mars). Put a steady effort into completing your obligations and odious tasks, and ‘bank’ your efforts by documenting not just what you’re doing but how thoroughly they were completed. Your friends, co-workers and allies are unlikely to be thankful or gratified enough for your liking, but you’ll want a paper-trail of accomplishments in the future.

The Ninth House of higher learning and long-distance travel is Aquarius, ruled by sextile Saturn and hosting Pluto retrograde. Make plans for sudden journeys, but don’t implement them yet. Expect that all journeys will require learning on the fly, and will be more costly (but not more luxurious) than normal.

The Tenth House of career and professional reputation is Pisces, ruled by trining Jupiter and hosting the North Node. Career goals acquire greater than normal importance and require deploying personal resources for achievement of goals — but also take longer than usual to circle back to personal results.

The Eleventh House of friends, associates, and allies is Aries, ruled by inconjunct Mars and hosting Neptune and Saturn. The Fire triplicity rulers are present (Saturn), sextile (Sun), and square (Jupiter). You may be hot and bothered because of an apparent or real coldness or cooling of sympathies between you and former allies. A vision of new possibilities is rousing itself but not yet achieved. Identify who your real friends are through rational self-examination and reflection.

The Twelfth House of both obstacles and opportunities is Taurus, ruled by sextile Venus and hosting Mars. The other Earth triplicity rulers are sextile (Venus) and inconjunct (Moon). Making progress on long-term plans may be somewhat difficult to get started, but you’re likely to develop some six-month and year-long objectives and goals by considering how your resources and compensation are affected by current circumstances. Inconveniently, your spouse or significant other may be an emotional partner in this thought process, but rarely a rational adjuvant: ask them to cheer your plan, not critique it (seek criticism from more impartial allies this time around).

Horoscopes by Rising Sign

Decan I of any sign (usually covering the 21st of the month to the first of the following month) is free to all visitors; Decan II is only available to Patreon and Ko-Fi.com subscribers; and Decan III is available to Patreon, Ko-Fi, and MailChimp subscribers.

I recommend reading your Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign for best results. I write them with rising sign in mind, but several people have told me they find that they do better with all three.

Gemini: It’s a good week to keep your magical powers out of sight, even as you flash your “rational problem solver” badge and put your best anti-authoritarian heart on your sleeve. You’re always likely to know what the right thing to do is, even if you can’t prove it. Financially, it’s likely to be a good week; be prepared to share the wealth but be judicious in redistributing it. Save a rainy day fund. It’s easy to blow your resources on low-budget adventures; pay attention to how you interact with spouses or significant others, and what norms you’re breaking in those relationships. Experiences at home may be difficult, even as you seek a career highlight.

Cancer: Attention to your financial situation is important, but make good use of the windfalls you have; an overflowing cup makes one eager to share, but be aware of how short-term generosity can fuel long-term worries. A friend faces a slow-moving crisis. Career matters require both steady vision and deliberate boundaries, but don’t expect to get free of restrictions too quickly. Are you working on a book yet? Daily routines and pets may cause you something of a scare, but apparent duties may drain you more than expected, particularly if neighborly concern about trees reveals trouble in paradise.

Leo: Getting to know your local neighborhood requires making local acquaintances. Got your coffee house picked out? Your laundromat? Your hole in the wall dining place? Even if you’ve lived where you are now for years, it’s time to hybridize your old haunts with some new places, and make some acquaintances into closer friends and allies. Be open to new experiences, or sharing your familiar tea-rooms with a new conversationalist. A boss or supervisor may be angry about long-term issues which may come back to bite you. Plan to stay where you are for a while. Let a spouse or significant other pamper you, but be sure to track the receipts; know what your share of the entertainments cost. You want to be able to pay them back in your own way.

Virgo: House, home and family bring contentment but also some trouble. Water your plants. Identify and care about the keystone stories that make the place home for you and a spouse or significant other, a firm base of operations for your career and profession, and a safe launching pad for your interior journeys and exterior discoveries. Do what you can to make it an inviting place for friends and allies to share a glass or a mug and unburden themselves. Some challenges present themselves: restrictions that keep you from achieving your best possible vision, and conflicts that limit what new investigations you can complete in the next few months. Go steady, even when you can’t move fast, toward what you believe in.

Libra: Mix business and pleasure this week, as you connect with supervisors and their employers and directors in commercial surroundings. Yet even as you eat, drink, and be merry, be wary of becoming overly intimate, or intimidated, by the high ranks around you. There are likely to be enticing visions held out, secret possibilities, but it’s worth remembering who wholeheartedly lets you wear the crown. Don’t let yourself be seduced by proximity to power, but maintain your own power and hold to your own confidences; don’t break your overall trustworthiness. There’s no reason, though, that these tumultuous journeys aren’t a place to shine or share your vision — you can make your daily work ethic into a worthy tale all its own.

Scorpio: It’s likely to be one of those weeks when it’s hard to dig into what you have to get done today, because you’re too busy thinking about tomorrow, or next month, or next year. Financial issues may get your knickers in a twist, but making judicious and careful financial choices (possibly with the help of a significant other or spouse) will be considerably more helpful than dithering about what you should or shouldn’t be doing for the future. A beautiful travel opportunity or new learning experience opens up, but you won’t be able to take advantage of it if your chores aren’t done; forgive the Star Wars reference, but don’t go to Tosche Station to visit your friends until you know what grand adventure is coming your way.

Sagittarius: It’s a good time to be focused on helping a spouse or significant other navigate some emotionally challenging moments, but remember that it’s your own presentation and role that you have the most control over; and it’s your own norms and boundaries that most need to be questioned and adjusted. Your important peers can shine a light on your own needs more clearly than you can. Sources of delight may feel choked off, but you can plan for a different kind of future even if you can’t get there yet. Your home and family take high priority at the moment, but this may mean that your career and other sources of professional contentment may suffer. It will be easy for new obligations and duties to show up at your door this week, but few are better able to take them on for the betterment of many.

Capricorn: Your personal sense of duty may feel somewhat restricted by larger obligations to house, home, and family. You benefit most from making long-term plans and setting key schedule details with a spouse or significant other — but it may be wise, even here, to rely on vibes and note key breaks from routines rather than rationalize each individual detail. Your most important person may have to extend their reserves and credit to cover your debts this week, so it’s important that you rationalize and communicate your shortfalls and expectations. Now is not the time to blow a wad of cash on some hobby or entertainment you imagine yourself to take up some time in the future. Travel brings contentment, but also delay and difficulty: take some fresh fruit for the road.

Aquarius: Travel and education should be prioritized this week, but you may still find your local errand-trips restricted and slowed by local construction. Longer distance trips may involve more paperwork, and more costs and slowdowns than you expected. Arguments at home may arise over your Autumn or Winter plans; future intentions may be cut off by financial limits. Pursue your hobbies, and focused time with children, with attention to almost ritualized normalcy despite unexpected convulsions of routine. Allow additional time for transitions in your daily schedule and interactions with staff and contractors: find beauty in each moment of the commute; ask your subordinates how their day is going before you ruin it; bring donuts in for your crew at the office or job site.

Pisces: Big professional goals may require that you bring your hobbyist skills to bear on work-related objectives. A growing financial constraint appears to limit your envisioned plans with friends, while a neighbor seems to be stirring up long-term difficulties. Focus on the intellectual aspects of home: is your home office set-up really working for you? Is it conveying to clients and supervisors the kind of image you want to present? Draw together both your creativity and leadership to make awesome summer fun for your kids, or to feed your personal pastimes: make something emotionally delightful, daily.

Aries: Got a friend who’s giving you the cold shoulder? OR are you pretending that your old buddy is now persona non grata? Either way, it would be worth writing down what the problem is, and what sorts of methods might allow rapprochement. A quick financial hit might put you in the hole this week for the long haul: pay attention to your car’s well-being, for example — like getting that oil change or a new set of tires — or do the needed software maintenance on your laptop before you need a new one. Neighborly matters require adherence to traditional norms, but your emotional focus is on career and professional reputation. A happy home has good alignment between practical, intellectual, and spiritual matters — this is a great week to fix any mis-matches with material changes.

Taurus: It’s a week for being cautious about knives in the kitchen, distracted driving, and ambitious underlings — but set a couple of two-year goals for yourself this week. Knowing that they’l be hard to achieve doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make them, but keep lips zipped around friends who make encourage backsliding and laziness. A few financial disruptions come your way but you can finagle some short-term solutions that also raise your personal credit. Don’t ignore your most intimate circle of confidants. You have an opportunity to address and fix some of your more serious debts or to solve some problems with resources shared between you and a spouse or significant other. A boss or supervisor will offer praise for your efforts in a roundabout or slow way, but it may be worth asking for a raise anyway.

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If you want to read some of my astrologically-oriented poetry, the largest collection is called A Full Volume of Splendor and Starlight, available through my Etsy shop, and containing poems and hymns to the planets, constellations, decan deities, and Moon Mansion angels. While not astrological, Festae contains hymns to some of the older Roman gods and spirits from the calendar created by Numa Pompilius, the second ancient King of Rome.

I use iPhemeris for my charting software, and screenshot it to make charts. I want to thank the team that develops iPhemeris for the addition of Terms and Decans to their charts. I also use Hugh Tran‘s Physis typeface to craft logos for this blog, as well.

I use Christopher Warnock‘s The Mansions of the Moon as the basis of my Moon placement delineations, and Austin Coppock‘s 36 Faces for much of my planetary delineations. Neither gentleman endorses me.